Do Or Die has gotten quite a bit of air time lately due to their sponsorship of Xande Ribeiro, arguably the top BJJ player in the world, and also because they are expanding their line to include limited edition gis and clothes for men, women and youth. They’ve billed their Hyperfly gi as the perfect gi. Upcoming limited editions include the California edition and the NYC.

Per Do Or Die:Your battle will be here before you know it. It’s time to get yourself ready for combat and show the world you know what DO OR DIE is all about….YOU CAN’T TEACH HEART

The gi has some notable features (spandex gusset for one), a very clean look and premium construction. But is it really the best gi ever…

This post is a bit of an experiment to see if there is interest out there for more like it. A lot of you will remember the World JJ Expo earlier this year for the match that didn't happen but I'd like to look at one of the ones that did. The match between Kron Gracie and Victor Estima was a back and forth battle that wasn't decided until very end. I had a request to map it out and below is the result. It's a little unwieldy but still interesting.

Redstar is a Canadian based gi company that has been focused on making high-quality gis for competitors of every size. Their flagship gi, the Stamp, is available in three colors (grey, white and navy blue) and nine different sizes. Redstar was one of the first gi companies to make gis specifically for the taller and leaner athlete and their experience really shows. Egor has recently expanded their lineup to include fight shorts, belts and t-shirts.

The Stamp is a lightweight, competition style gi consisting of a 450g pearl weave jacket and 12oz cotton pants. The collar is EVA foam filled and the “L” models are specially cut for a slimmer build and longer arms.

In the words of the man himself, “Modern Jiu Jitsu, as my DVD illustrates, isn’t new jiu jitsu just a better way to do the things we have always been doing. We aren’t reinventing the wheel, we are using better application of technique to make the wheel better.” Caio Terra

Caio Terra’s Modern Jiu Jitsu series was released earlier this year to almost universal praise, also here. The set contains 4 discs and covers: closed guard, mount, turtle, back control, butterfly guard, standing passes, takedowns, side control, north-south and half-guard. The full set comes in at just over 5 hours and there are iTunes apps for the Closed Guard, Mount, Turtle and Back. Apps covering the other positions are in production with a release date sometime before Christmas of this year.

Bull Terrier Co has been providing high quality fight gear in Japan since 2002. If you’re like me when you hear Bull Terrier you think of premium Japanese gis with a lot of bling. While they are still producing premium gis they now have several models that are more understated and will appeal to all tastes. One of these, the Super Gold, is the subject of this review. Bull Terrier also has a full line of rash guards, spats, shorts, clothing and other fight gear.

The Super Gold has a gold weave jacket with 12 oz pants and is currently available in black and blue. This gi features the high-quality construction that has become the standard for premium gis and is ornamented with high quality embroidery and a few patches. After reviewing this gi I can say that Bull Terrier's reputation for quality and durability is not overstated and is well-deserved.

The recent Metamoris competition has shed a lot of light on Ryron Gracie’s monacre, “Keep it Playful.”Gracie has come under a hailstorm of criticism since the event where he played defense for nearly an entire match against a very aggressive Andre Galvao. While many adults seem to be against the idea of using BJJ solely for defense, I think there is a lot we can learn from Ryron Gracie’s approach as it applies to children.

Child development experts advocate what is called a “child-centered philosophy” to help kids get the most out of youth sports, such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). Here are 4 things you can do to keep BJJ fun for your kids:

1. Look for an academy that puts the goals of kids first – enjoyment, friends, fitness, involvement2. Remember that kids of different ages will have different needs. Make sure the academy addresses this and is appropriate for your child.3. Find an instructor that emphasizes enjoyment and involvement over tournament results4. Ask your child what they want to get out of BJJ. Drop whatever goals you have for them, and adopt their goals.

When it comes to analyzing the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu it all comes down to expansion. Without it there would never be growth in making the sport better. Fortunately for us there is a massive wave of talented grappling practitioners brining their own flavor to the melting pot which not only helps with the evolution of jiu-jitsu but also instills a positive influence in other grappling hopeful's progression.

Entering into the mind of Rodrigo Pagani one will embark on an exploration filled with a vast wealth of knowledge from one of the best around. As a part of the first league of Ribeiro black belts, Pagani's victories at high prestigious tournaments like Worlds and Brazilian nationals is a testament to his talent and devotion to his craft which explains his progressive rise from his humble days as a white belt to the elite black belt level.

Hailing from Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Pagani began his journey at the age of 16 in 1992. Originally geared towards fitness and the self-defense aspects his participation introduced him to a new sector of education of this mythical art form. Competing under the Gracie Humita banner Pagani's confidence began to skyrocket in his mission of becoming one of the best martial artists around.

I first started in jiu-jitsu back in September of 1992, when I was 16 years old and I’ve never stopped training. I was very skinny by that time so I thought it would be a nice way to exercise my body and learn some self-defense to become a little more confident.

Always staying hungry his dedication and passion is unparalleled. In an effort to further his progression Rodrigo would soon leave his home country which travels would take him to the United States to train with the Legendary Rickson Gracie where he would get first hand tutelage of the true essence of BJJ.

"This is a decent gi. It feels like it can withstand the wear and tear of being a daily gi, without feeling like a suit of armor."

This is my second go at this company's gi. Just as before I really like this companie's vision and mission statement. As this is their second gi that I'm reviewing, I can't help but compare the two.

At first unpacking I quickly noticed the color of the gi. With out being loud or obnoxious, it manages to stand out with its own unique shade of blue. There is no mistaking it for any other gi on the market. On their first gi, they had a black logo on a black gi, but no one knew it was there because you couldn't see it. On this edition, the logo stands out without being huge.

Tatami Fightwear was founded in the United Kingdom in 2009 and in three short years have become one of the premier brands for Brazilian jiu jitsu gis and submission grappling gear. Tatami has a reputation for putting out quality products at reasonable prices and are continually expanding their product line as the needs of their customers evolve.

Their latest additions include the Flex Rashguard and Atom Series of NoGi board shorts. The Atom shorts are available in Black/Yellow and Black/White with reinforced stitching and fully embroidered logos. The Flex rashguard, currently only in yellow/black but white/black will be available soon, is the same as the one worn recently by Pablo Popovitch (picture above in the short-sleeve version) at the IBJJF NoGi Pans and has features that I’ve never seen before in a rashguard.